Do I have to take the Ohio master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?

The trade exam is waived, but Ohio requires a law or code exam.

What does it cost to get a Ohio master HVAC technician license from Tennessee?

Published fees on this path total $25, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Does it work the other way, from Ohio to Tennessee?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Ohio to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Tennessee to Ohio: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

Reciprocity· Exam waivedVerified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

Ohio has a reciprocity agreement with Tennessee: a Tennessee master HVAC technician can get a Ohio license without retaking the trade exam.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Reciprocity with Tennessee (HVAC and Refrigeration; Ohio Business and Law exam required)

A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.

OCILB lists Tennessee for Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing and Hydronics reciprocity with the Business and Law exam required, and Tennessee is the only partner whose grandfathered licensees are accepted. An applicant who currently holds a Tennessee HVAC or refrigeration license issued after passing Tennessee's exam or through Tennessee's grandfathering process has the Ohio trade examination waived but, as the Tennessee form states, will be required to take the Ohio Business and Law exam. Tennessee licensees who obtained their license by reciprocity from another state are not permitted to reciprocate into Ohio. The applicant files the Tennessee reciprocity application with a $25 non-refundable fee per trade, a Reciprocity Verification of Licensure completed under seal by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, a $500,000 certificate of liability insurance naming OCILB, and assigns the license to a contracting company.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Required
Agreement: Active

What you must already have

Your Tennessee license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
Your Tennessee license must be active and in good standing.
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.

What you'll do to get licensed in Ohio

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25). Reciprocity application fee, non-refundable, per trade.
2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Ohio Business and Law examination (PSI).
3Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). Certificate of liability insurance of at least $500,000, certificate holder OCILB.
4Other. Reciprocity Verification of Licensure completed under seal by the Tennessee board, including exam score.
5Other. Assignment of the license to a contracting company (R.C. 4740.01).
6Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire.

Published fees on this path total $25, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

Law / code exam
Other

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

Insurance · $500,000

How Ohio licenses master HVAC technicians

Ohio master HVAC technician · “HVAC Contractor / Refrigeration Contractor (OCILB state license)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce

Ohio has no license called 'master HVAC'; its top person-held HVAC credential is the statewide HVAC Contractor license (with a separate Refrigeration Contractor license for refrigeration work) issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) to an individual who qualified by examination (R.C. 4740.01(A)), who then assigns it to a contracting company. Other states' reciprocity forms pair this license with their master HVAC or mechanical contractor licenses, so it is treated here as the master level. A new applicant must be 18, a citizen or legal alien, have five years as a tradesperson in the trade immediately before applying (or be an Ohio registered engineer with three years of construction business experience), pass BCI and FBI background checks, pass both sections of the PSI-administered examination (trade and Business & Law), carry $500,000 of contractor liability insurance in one company name, and pay a $25 application fee and $25 license fee per trade; licenses expire annually and renew with 8 hours of continuing education (24 for three-year renewals). OCILB's published reciprocity list covers HVAC licenses from Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia (refrigeration from Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee), with the Ohio Business and Law exam still required for Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee licensees. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is required of anyone handling refrigerants but is not part of the OCILB application.

Moving to Ohio Leaving Ohio

Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer

Tennessee master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 16 sources

Issued by Local code enforcement offices (Nashville, Memphis/Shelby County, Chattanooga, Knoxville and other exempt jurisdictions); the state issues only the CMC / CMC-C contractor license to businesses

Tennessee does not issue a master HVAC license. The state-level HVAC credential is a contractor license with the CMC (full mechanical: plumbing and HVAC) or CMC-C (HVAC/refrigeration) classification from the Board for Licensing Contractors, which is issued to a business that names a qualifying agent and is required for any project of $25,000 or more. The qualifying agent passes the Tennessee Business & Law exam and the CMC or CMC-C trade exam (Prov from July 1, 2026; CMC candidates need Board pre-approval, $50), and the business files a reviewed or audited financial statement (or, from July 1, 2026, a surety bond of at least half the requested limit) that sets its monetary limit, proves general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and pays $250 ($200 biennial renewal). The Board's trade-exam-waiver agreements let a contractor licensed in Alabama (HVAC), Louisiana (mechanical), Mississippi (mechanical), Ohio (HVAC), South Carolina (HVAC) or West Virginia (mechanical) skip the trade exam but not the Business & Law exam or any other requirement; North Carolina's and NASCLA's waivers do not cover HVAC. Master-level licenses issued to individuals exist only locally: Nashville's Master Mechanical (six years) and HVAC&R (four years) certificates, Memphis/Shelby County's First-Class and Third-Class Mechanical Contractor licenses, and Chattanooga's Master Mechanical Contractor license. A master HVAC license from another state has no state-level recognition in Tennessee; its holder either registers a business for the CMC-C license or applies for the local master card where they will work. EPA Section 608 certification is required federally to handle refrigerants.

How local licensing works in Tennessee

State contractor route (CMC / CMC-C). Required statewide for projects of $25,000 or more and accepted by the cities as a substitute for their own master cards for permit purposes (Nashville registers CMC/CMC-C firms for $100 with a $40,000 bond and $300,000 liability certificate; Memphis/Shelby County registers state mechanical licensees for $150). Requirements: Business & Law exam plus the CMC-C or CMC trade exam ($50 pre-approval for CMC), $250 application fee, reviewed or audited financial statement or a surety bond of at least 50% of the monetary limit (from July 1, 2026), general liability and workers' compensation insurance. Trade-exam waiver, on verification by the other board that the qualifying agent passed a comparable exam: Alabama HVAC (CMC-C), Louisiana Mechanical (CMC), Mississippi Mechanical (CMC), Ohio HVAC (CMC-C), South Carolina HVAC (CMC-C), West Virginia Mechanical (CMC). The Board stresses the waiver applies only to the trade exam, cannot be used by applicants with discipline, open complaints or felony convictions, and does not allow another state's license to be used in Tennessee.

Nashville (Davidson County). The Board of Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Examiners and Appeals issues the Master Mechanical certificate (six years' experience) and HVAC&R certificate (four years); a mechanical engineering degree may substitute. The application asks for licenses held in other cities or states, employer confirmations and a recommendation letter; the Chief Mechanical Inspector approves, Prov administers the exam (70% to pass, 30-day retest wait). The certificate holder then registers the firm as a Metropolitan Mechanical Gas Contractor with a Davidson County business license, $40,000 permit bond and $300,000 liability certificate. No exam waiver for out-of-state licenses is published.

Memphis and Shelby County. First-Class Mechanical Contractor (age 21, 4 years of full-time installation or design experience, unlimited scope) and Third-Class Mechanical Contractor (2 years, equipment up to 15 tons or 15 hp) after a written exam set by the Mechanical/Gas Code Board; $150 registration, $110 annual renewal, licenses expire December 31, $25,000 continuous permit bond. The mechanical code has no reciprocity provision for mechanical contractors.

Chattanooga. Master Mechanical Contractor license from the Board of Mechanical Examiners: three or more years as a Journeyman Mechanic Class 1 or 2, or a current or previously held unrevoked Master Mechanical Contractor or equivalent license from Chattanooga or any other governmental agency, or a Tennessee PE license, or acceptable education and experience; $415 per two-year cycle including the exam fee. A license from elsewhere establishes eligibility for the exam but is not stated to waive it.

Knoxville. Permits are pulled under a State Contractor Registration (CMC/CMC-C) or the other registration types on the city's permit page; the city's own mechanical license classes and fees could not be confirmed from an official page, so contact Plans Review & Inspections (865-215-4311).

Out-of-state holders. The only published recognition in Tennessee is the state Board's trade-exam waiver for contractors from AL, LA, MS, OH, SC and WV, which still requires the Business & Law exam and a full contractor application. The local master cards in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga treat an out-of-state master license as evidence of experience or exam eligibility, not as a substitute for their own examinations.

Moving to Tennessee Leaving Tennessee

Common questions

Do I have to take the Ohio master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?: The trade exam is waived, but Ohio requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Ohio master HVAC technician license from Tennessee?: Published fees on this path total $25, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Does it work the other way, from Ohio to Tennessee?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Ohio to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements · 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (Clean Air Act §608) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Other · verified September 15, 2026Federal requirement in every state: technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified (Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, Universal). Apprentices under direct supervision are exempt. Certification does not expire; the core exam must be proctored for Universal certification. State HVAC boards commonly require it before licensure, but it is not itself a state license.
OCILB - Contractors & Contracting Companies (state license requirements, reciprocity list, document checklists) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy because com.ohio.gov returned 404 to the fetcher. States that OCILB issues state licenses to commercial contractors in five trades: Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing and Refrigeration. Requirements: age 18, citizen or legal alien, five years as a tradesperson in the trade (or Ohio registered engineer with three years of construction business experience), no disqualifying offense, pass the trade examination, $500,000 contractor liability coverage, fees; BCI and FBI background checks after board approval and before the exam. Fees: $25 application per trade, $25 licensing fee per trade, $60 annual escrow renewal. 'Reciprocity with other states' section: Ohio offers reciprocity only to applicants who passed the state-recognized test; Tennessee accepts Ohio grandfathered licensees; where noted the Business and Law (B&L) exam is required. List: Alabama - HVAC and Refrigeration; Arkansas - Plumbing; Kentucky - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration; Louisiana - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration - B&L; Mississippi - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing - B&L; North Carolina - Electrical; South Carolina - Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing - B&L; Tennessee - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing, Hydronics - B&L; West Virginia - Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing; Virginia - Electrical; Texas - Electrical. Reciprocity applicant checklist: notarized reciprocity application, OCILB verification form signed by the other state's board, $25 application fee per trade. The page says nothing about a journeyman, technician or individual HVAC license and nothing about EPA Section 608.
OCILB Examination Application (PDF) · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board · Form · verified September 15, 2026Standard route: last five consecutive years of tax documents plus one of: a permit for each of the last five years obtained by the licensed contractor employer, an active journeyman's card in the trade, an apprenticeship completion certificate (Ohio- or US DOL-approved), or 40 hours of live/virtual code continuing education from an OCILB training agency; or an Ohio registered professional engineer with three years of business experience; or five years as an Ohio government inspector in the trade. $25 application fee; exam types Hydronics, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Refrigeration.
OCILB - Testing Application (form DIC 3524) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Lists the trades licensed (Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing, Hydronics) and links the Testing Application PDF (DIC 3524); last reviewed March 2020.
OCILB - Reciprocity Application - Tennessee (EL, HV, RE, PL, HY) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Covers Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing and Hydronics: a current Tennessee license for the trade, issued after passing the required exam or via Tennessee's grandfathering rules.
OCILB Tennessee Reciprocity Application (PDF) · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board · Form · verified September 15, 2026Types: EL, HVAC, RE, HY, PL. Applicant must currently hold a Tennessee license obtained by testing or grandfathering with Tennessee; Tennessee licenses obtained by reciprocity from another state are not permitted to reciprocate into Ohio. 'Applicants will be required to take the Ohio Business and Law exam.' Reciprocity Verification of Licensure under state seal.
Ohio Revised Code 4740.01 - Construction industry licensing board definitions · R.C. 4740.01(A), (C), (E) · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026'License' means a license the board issues to an individual as a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning contractor, refrigeration contractor, electrical contractor, plumbing contractor, or hydronics contractor. 'Tradesperson' means an individual employed by a contractor who performs the work without assuming responsibility for the means, method or manner of the work; tradespersons are not licensed under the chapter. 'Contracting company' is a company in the construction industry working on construction projects. Effective September 17, 2014.
Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 - License application; qualifications for examination · R.C. 4740.06(B), (C), (F), (H) · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(B) age 18, citizen or legal alien, five years as a tradesperson in the trade (or registered engineer with three years' business experience), contractor's liability insurance. (C) alternative qualification for holders of a substantially similar out-of-state license: at least five building authorizations and a tax return showing income under that license. (F) the specialty section authorizes the license within 90 days of the application once the applicant qualifies and passes the exam. (H) renewal without re-examination with continuing education. Effective September 30, 2025 (H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly).
Ohio Revised Code 4740.08 - Reciprocity · R.C. 4740.08 · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026When a written reciprocity agreement between the states exists, an individual licensed in the other state who submits a copy of the agreement and pays the licensure fee is licensed without examination if the specialty section finds the other state's requirements substantially equal and that it extends similar reciprocity to Ohio licensees; the section may withdraw authorization for good cause before issuance. Effective December 29, 2023.

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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